The Elemental Collective: Volume One: An Elemental Paladins Spin-off Series

by Montana Ash

  “She’s not going to burst out like in Aliens,” Max said, voice dry.

  Ryker whipped his head up. “I wasn’t thinking that!” he said quickly and guiltily. Because, yeah, that was definitely where his thoughts were headed. “Here, let me braid your hair.” He sat on the lounge behind where Max was on the floor and performed a quick braid before tying the band at the bottom. Hopefully, it would stop Max’s thick hair from getting in her face and overheating her.

  Max reached around and fingered the braid, before turning her head. Her voice was filled with surprise when she asked, “Where did you learn to braid?”

  Ryker ordered himself not to blush and tried for casual when he shrugged. “I’m about to have a daughter. I figured I should learn how to do girl hair. Diana and Cali have been letting me practice on them.”

  Max’s eyes turned watery and she whispered, “Oh, Ryker. You really are the sweetest man.”

  Ryker scowled, pushing to his feet. “I am not sweet, woman. Mean. I am mean – and don’t you forget it.”

  Max giggled, the sound like music to Ryker’s ears. “Oh, yes. So mean. Yooooou –” Any further teasing was lost to a groan as pain gripped her once more.

  Ryker was quick to start the timer and then he simply coached Max with her breathing. Wiping her forehead with a damp cloth and mumbling a bunch of crap into her ear he hoped helped her in some way. “Okay, that lasted seventy-two seconds and was about two-and-a-half minutes since the last one. What does that mean?”

  Max grimaced, “That means I’m likely in the transition phase where your cervix dilates from eight to ten centimetres.”

  Ryker thought back to the birthing books he had read and also to the birthing video Jasminka had seen fit to force him to watch. Although his mind was fragile from the trauma of both things, he still retained some of the information. “There’s no way, Max. That is the final stage of labour. That would mean you’ve been in labour a lot longer than twenty minutes.”

  Max nodded wearily, “I think I’ve been in labour all day.”

  “All day? What the fuck?!” Ryker exclaimed.

  Max snorted, “You know those ‘thigh cramps’? I think they were signs of early labour. Plus, I’ve had a sore back most of the day too.”

  “Thigh contractions? There’s no such thing,” his voice was firm, but his insides were shaking. Yes, he had resigned himself to helping Max deliver the baby, but he had believed they still had hours yet. And in that time, his Order was sure to wonder why they weren’t checking in and they would send Dana their way. Ryker was sure of it.

  “Ever heard of referred pain?” Max cocked an eyebrow at him. “Look, I’m no expert, but I know these contractions are already really intense. They are long and they are close together. I think I’m already in the homestretch.”

  Ryker blew out a breath. “Okay. Okay, that’s cool. I can deal. At least your water hasn’t broken yet. I mean, that’s the point of no return, right?” And just like that, Ryker watched as the towels underneath Max turned very, very wet.

  Max looked down between her legs before glaring back at him. “You just had to say it, didn’t you?”

  After that, Ryker kept his stupid fucking mouth shut.

  “This sucks!” Max yelled thirty minutes later. “I’m serious! This is just fucking awful. I am going to have a talk with my mother and every other motherfucking god responsible for fertility and childbirth. They are clearly a bunch of sadists. I mean, who would make this up? Pushing a literal human being from a body orifice! It’s pure insanity.”

  While Ryker agreed with Max, he also found her rant funny as hell and a single chuckle got loose before he could stop it. Max whipped her head around from her position on all fours – a position she had deemed more comfortable three contractions ago. The glare he received contained enough heat to rival the sun and he quickly apologised. “Sorry. I completely agree with you.”

  “Damn fucking right you agree with me,” Max grumbled, hanging her head once more. “I swear, I better not rip from hole to hole. That’s a thing you know!”

  Considering Ryker was currently at the same end as said holes, he really, really did not need that visual. He wasn’t sure anyone could hear them in their weird little dome, but he still prayed to any god listening to leave Max’s holes separate. He didn’t claim to be an expert on female anatomy, but he knew those holes were supposed to be like eyebrows – there should always be two. “How are you feeling?” he asked, changing the subject and rubbing the small of Max’s back. Her contractions were now coming practically on top of one another and Max was beginning to show signs of fatigue.

  “I feel like I need to push.”

  It was the third time Max had told him as much and although he knew a lot of childbirth was instinctual and automatic, he also knew it could be a bad thing to push too soon. After the first time, Ryker had warily checked between Max’s legs. The transformation down there brought tears to his eyes, but he let that go and tried to focus on what Max said he should be seeing – and feeling. Yes, Max had made him check how much of his hand he could fit and also if he could feel the baby’s head. He knew he was going to need a lot of therapy after this and only prayed he would develop amnesia for certain portions of the delivery process. After his initial investigations, it was deemed Max should wait a bit more before giving in to her body’s urge to push. Taking a deep breath, Ryker prepared himself to check the situation again, only to rear back in panic a second later.

  “What? What is it?” Max screeched at him over her shoulder.

  Ryker swallowed with difficulty. “I can see the head.”

  Max went startlingly white, causing her turquoise eyes to appear even more vibrant. “You can see her?”

  Ryker nodded. “I, ah, I think it’s time to push with your next contraction.”

  “Really? You think?”

  Sarcasm dripped from Max’s mouth like molasses, but Ryker didn’t take offence. Instead he smiled and rubbed her back. “Come on, sweetheart. You got this.”

  Max’s breath exploded in a burst of air and tears rushed to her eyes. She nodded once with determination. “I got this.”

  The following seven minutes were a blur of noise and fluids, but three long contractions later, Ryker was finally holding his squalling daughter in his arms. She was very pink and very slippery, covered in all sorts of goop and blood. Her dark hair was stuck to her scalp and she was arching her back, screaming her displeasure to the world. And Ryker fell in love instantly, irrevocably, and without prejudice. Tears ran from his eyes as he kissed her angry little brow before helping Max turn over and placing their daughter on her chest. Max gasped, cradling the baby, her eyes eating up every single detail while Ryker did his best to tie off the umbilical cord in three places – twice closest to Max and once close to the baby. When it came time to cut that lifeline between mother and baby though, he finally hesitated. His hand shook and he was terrified of cutting that last and vital connection.

  “It’s okay. She’s okay,” Max told him, clearly reading his hesitation. The baby let out another angry mewl, causing them both to laugh. “See?”

  Ryker nodded, quickly cutting the cord now. He then wrapped his daughter up, put clean bedding underneath Max, and coaxed her through birthing the placenta. He was horrified at what the life-sustaining organ looked like and he quickly wrapped it up, pushing it aside. That thing was going to give him nightmares, he thought. But what was sure to make up for it, was the now quiet baby in her mother’s arms. After cleaning up Max as best he could, he took her at her word when she said she was feeling as best as could be expected and her bleeding was normal. Then he sat down beside Max and stared at his daughter.

  “Here she is, daddy. Your little Sunshine,” Max whispered, handing him the baby.

  Ryker completely melted when the baby opened her eyes and looked at him. Her eyelids were still swollen, so it was kind of like looking through slits, but it was enough for Ryker to see the colour. “Turquoise,” he said, g
rinning at Max. “She has your eyes.”

  “And your hair,” Max said, stroking the black strands. The baby scrunched up her face before crying once again, causing Max to laugh. “As well as your temperament.”

  Ryker kissed the baby on her forehead, followed by her cheeks. “Don’t listen to mummy, precious. Daddy likes to be heard too.” He then passed the babe back to Max and they both held their breath as she rooted around for a few minutes before finally latching on to a nipple and beginning to suck.

  “So,” Ryker said softly, loathe to interrupt the priceless moment. “About her name …”

  Chapter Ten

  The following day dawned bright and clear. Looking out the window, Max could see the early morning sky was free from clouds and was a lovely mix of pink and blue. It was going to be a beautiful day. But that was to be expected, considering her husband was currently sitting on the lounge completely transfixed with their newborn daughter. Max shook her head, moving gingerly across the room. She was sore as hell, as well as feeling all loose and wobbly in the stomach area. It was gross. Which was why she had spent a solid fifteen minutes under the warm spray of the shower, leaving her baby in the capable arms of her daddy. Ryker was in the exact same position she had left him in – staring at and stroking a sleeping baby.

  “She’s so beautiful,” Ryker whispered, patting Max on the leg when she lowered herself down next to him.

  “I have to agree with you.” Max reached out to touch the soft, warm cheek. “Holy crap, Ryker. We have a baby. You delivered our baby,” she suddenly said, the past twelve hours rushing back to her.

  Ryker looked up and snorted, shaking his head. “I know. Hella fucking crazy.” His eyes widened and he quickly looked at the sleeping baby. “Shit, sorry. I know I can’t say words like that anymore.”

  Max laughed softly before leaning in and kissing Ryker with all the love and pride she felt for him in that moment. He had been a true rock for her during the labour and delivery. It may have been super quick, but it had hurt like hell, and she had been very scared. She knew Ryker had been just as scared. And he was probably never going to look at her vagina in the same way ever again. But, she supposed, some things were worth the sacrifice. Their daughter chose that moment to mewl like a little kitten before nuzzling at Ryker’s chest. They both smiled, kissing her tiny fingers and perfect hands as Ryker transferred her with great care into Max’s arms. Max opened her robe and fiddled around for a few minutes until her daughter finally achieved a decent latch. Max tried not to cringe, but it wasn’t easy. She’d had the baby on her breast pretty much every hour for twenty minutes at a time since she was born, trying to get her milk to come in as quickly as possible. She wasn’t sure how long they were going to be trapped inside and she didn’t want her daughter to get dehydrated. But the baby seemed to be getting what she needed if Ryker’s wet nappy-shirts were any indication. Max’s nipples, however, felt like one big bruise. Breast feeding was hard. She hoped they would be able to leave soon …

  Max whipped her head up, only just realising that the lovely sunrise she had just observed had not been through a pearly, translucent veil. She whacked Ryker on the shoulder, and his head shot up from where he had been drifting off. He had gotten no sleep the night before. Max herself had managed three fifteen-minute catnaps. “Ryker! The veil is gone.”

  Ryker jumped up and went to the front door. He turned the knob and the door opened instantly. “Looks like Little Miss did what she needed to do. I’ll call the others.”

  “Wait,” Max spoke quickly, halting Ryker before he could use his phone or tap into the Order link. “Will you wait five more minutes? I just want a little bit more time with just us.”

  Ryker’s eyes softened and he walked back over to the lounge. Bending down he kissed Max’s forehead. “Of course. How do you think they’re going to react?”

  “Are you kidding?” Max rolled her eyes. “They are going to go absolutely crazy.”

  “We missed a scheduled check-in,” Ryker pointed out. “They’re probably already going crazy.”

  Max bit her lip, suddenly feeling guilty for wanting more time alone with just the three of them. “Maybe we should –”

  “Nope,” Ryker cut her off, slinging his arm across her shoulders and hugging her close. “They’ll be fine. Five minutes with just us sounds perfect to me.”

  Max sighed, gazing in wonder at her black-headed daughter as she sucked voraciously. “This really is a beautiful spot. We should come back again, don’t you think?” Max asked Ryker, looking around the converted barn with affection. It would forever hold a special place in her heart.

  Ryker made a grunt of agreement. Then he snickered. “You realise we just had our daughter in a barn, don’t you?”

  Max frowned at him, “What’s got you so amused? I do know, I was there when it happened.”

  Ryker laughed, looking more at peace than Max had ever seen him. “She’s a deity, right? A goddess?”

  “Yeeesss,” Max drew the word out, unsure what Ryker was getting at.

  “I’m just saying; a barn, an unexpected birth of a god’s – or in this case – a goddess’s child?”

  Max finally clued into what Ryker was suggesting and she was so startled that she jumped, before bursting into laughter. Thankfully, the baby was too busy to notice and kept right on feeding. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?”

  Ryker held up his hands in surrender, “Hey, don’t blame me. I was simply pointing out the parallels.”

  “Hmm,” Max allowed, saying no more on the subject.

  Ten minutes later, Max was holding a now sleeping baby when she felt the Order link light up like a Christmas tree. Ryker snapped to attention and held up his arm. His coat of arms was writhing and his symbol for life was shining brightly. They both shared a wince when six voices began echoing in their heads at the same time. Before either of them could respond, Max felt a rush of power close by that could only be her mother. Several other familiar life forces were with her, and Max knew her mother must have poofed her entire Order there, as well as her father if Max wasn’t mistaken. It sounded like a stampede outside their door, and Max rocked the baby, telling Ryker to hurry.

  Ryker yanked the door open, scowling at the army on the doorstep. “Will you keep it down? You’ll wake the baby.”

  Max couldn’t see any faces, but the sheer silence was telling.

  “Baby? What baby?” The question came from Darius.

  Ryker sighed and stepped back from the door. He gestured them all inside, saying harshly, “I mean it. Be quiet. And calm.”

  Max stayed where she was, watching in amusement as the small living area became overrun with paladins, a warden, and a goddess. Her mother was there along with Mordecai, plus her entire Order, as she had known. All the partners were missing, as was Maxwell, but that was okay with Max for now. In fact, it was kind of perfect.

  “Hi, guys. Meet Souline.”

  What’s Next In The Paladin World?

  Coming up in The Elemental Collective: Volume Two – three more novellas featuring, Nikolai (plus one), Kai (plus one), and Caspian (plus Leo)